


Nice Day for a Picnic

by Macdragon



Category: 19th Century CE RPF
Genre: Afterlife, Gen, Historical References
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-23
Updated: 2015-06-23
Packaged: 2018-04-05 17:32:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4188717
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Macdragon/pseuds/Macdragon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mary Shelley and Ada Lovelace meet in the afterlife.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nice Day for a Picnic

**Author's Note:**

  * For [aestivali](https://archiveofourown.org/users/aestivali/gifts).



"Percy and I used to picnic beside my mother's grave," Mary commented as she strode out into the sun-drenched grass, her boots crushing flowers. Ada was already there, sitting primly on a checkered blue blanket, a picnic basket beside her. "It usually wasn't as nice then as it is today."

"I didn't have nearly as many picnics as I should have," Ada replied, patting the empty space on the blanket. Mary gathered her skirts and sat down, not caring about the grass stains that might form where her skirt flowed over the edge of the blanket. 

"Too much time making calculations in a darkened library?" Mary asked wryly.

"That, and my mother kept me inside. She was worried I might run off. Maybe she thought I would try and go find my father." She shrugged, opening the picnic basket and taking out a loaf of french bread, cheese, berries. "Mother's worrying just made it worse. You know I tried to make my own pair of wings when I was a girl? Thought I could fly right out of the house." 

She could remember it just as clearly as if it was yesterday, how she had pored over the blueprints for hours, making sure that everything was just right. She hoarded materials snatched from her mother's clothing deliveries--feathers, silk, tissue paper. Testing each one, deciding which fabric might serve as artificial wings. 

"It didn't work, of course," she said with a rueful smile. “I guess that was just my luck. The analytical engine never even came to fruition, after all the energy Babbage and I put into it.”

Mary shook her head. “Don’t be silly. You’ve seen what they’ve developed these days.” She waved her arm, indicating whatever was beyond this field. “You had the right ideas. Anyway, there’s no point dwelling on it now.”

“Not much to do here but dwell, is there?” Ada chuckled and pulled a bottle of wine and two glasses out of the basket, pouring a cup of for each of them. 

“True.” Mary accepted the glass and took a sip. “You know what I dwell on? Frankenstein. It keeps me up, thinking about the little edits I would make, hundreds of years later. Or the edits I wouldn’t let Percy make.” 

Ada smirked. “You don’t have much to complain about. They’re still reading your book, and it’s got your name on it.”

“Too bad it took so long for people to decide they liked it.” Mary made a face, her voice taking on a mocking squeak. “What a tissue of horrible and disgusting absurdity this work presents…”

“They were just jealous.” Ada shook her head. “You were the latest literary sensation.”

“Not sure if I ever wrested that title away from Byron,” Mary sighed. “I awoke and found myself famous. As if he ever lacked for attention!” She grinned at Ada. “Too bad you never met him.”

“You think he’s here somewhere?” Ada asked. “Or—“ She glanced downwards.

“Who knows. Maybe he’s avoiding us.”

“Could be.” Ada shrugged. “At least we’ve got each other.”

“I’ll drink to that.” The two women lifted their glasses, clinking them together. 

Ada and Mary kept talking, reminiscing about the past long into the afternoon, but the sun never seemed to go down. It was as if no time had passed at all when they packed up the picnic basket and went their separate ways, leaving the sunny field as empty as it had been before they arrived.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank for your requesting two of my favorite ladies! I decided to throw them together for this little fic. Hope you enjoy.


End file.
